Tips for Packing the Perfect Lunch

With the start of school right around the corner, (and for many of you, already underway) you may have started thinking about packing lunches. Truth be told, it is not our favorite parenting gig here at Casa Chybinski. In fact, while I am the one that plans the grocery lists and oversees the shopping, my husband is the one that actually puts the lunches together and packs them.

We are team "night before" when it comes to packing school lunches. I am all in favor of an organization system that allows for more time in the mornings and less rushing around. Therefore, we are pretty firm on backpacks and lunches being put together the night before.

Everything You Need to Know About Backpacks

Perhaps nothing signals the return of kids to school like the backpack. I don't ever recall carrying a backpack, loaded with books, to and from my own school as a kid. But since the day my oldest was born, I've been scouting the perfect back-to-school backpack.

Where did this obsession with backpacks come from? I can't recall anyone carrying a backpack when I was in school (ok - it was the 70's and 80's). According to this fantastic article by Lee Hale from NPR, the backpack craze as we know it launched itself firmly in 1982, when LL Bean featured their Book Pack. It quickly became the company's top-selling product, and is still one of the top sellers in backpacks today. By the late 1980's every kid was carrying a backpack.

5 Easy Ways to Green Your Kids' Lunches

We are in full back-to-school mode around these parts. Most kids are returning to their classrooms in just a few short weeks. I confess, I love back-to-school time. There is something about new school clothes and a new backpack that just makes my heart swell. Don't even get me started on the number 2 pencils!

Something that always stresses me out, is school lunch. Both of my kids bring lunch more often than they buy lunch, and I try to pack a healthy lunch that they will actually eat. I have volunteered in the cafeteria before, and you would be AMAZED at how much food kids throw out.  In fact, I was there to participate in a waste free lunch contest. We pitted each grade against each other to see what grade could produce the LEAST lunch waste. It was super fun and got me thinking about my own packed lunch habits and going green.

Refresh Your Routine for Back to School

I don't know about you, but for us, this week brings back to school time. That means our laid-back summer vacation routine, is out the door. I need to make sure I have two kids ready to leave the house at two different times heading to two different schools.

I'm working on teaching my kids to prepare as much s possible the night before. Both my husband and I do that as well. Bags get packed and lunches get made the night before. Water bottles and snacks are set-out and ready to go. I like to do a quick schedule check so everyone is on the same page for the day.

School Lunches - How to Make them Healthy AND Fun

This post was created in partnership with Stonyfield. All opinions are my own.


If I asked you to draw your "Dream Lunch", what would your drawing include? Mine would almost definitely include a menu and someone else preparing it! Well I asked my kids what their dream lunches would be like and I got this:

Organization Tip for Back to School - School Binders

The first day of school is quickly approaching . . . are you ready? To help get you ready,  I am sharing one of my all-time BEST organization tips (I've been using it for 9 years!). Creating a School Year Binder for each child. Keeping school papers organized should not be a difficult or time-consuming task! This is life-changing - are you ready??

While you're out buying school supplies, get a binder to represent each of your kids, for yourself. You may also want to pick up dividers or Post-it Tabs to separate the sections. Each member of our family has long been assigned a calendar color. This calendar color translates into other areas of household and schedule organization, such as the School Year Binder colors.

Three Tips to Help Your Kids Stay Organized for School

We all want to be more organized. A simple search on Pinterest, brings up tons of ideas, tips and tricks for keeping ourselves more organized. I have a PinBoard devoted to Organization, and truth be told it's one of my favorites.

But how do we help our kids get and stay organized for the upcoming school year? I have found 3 tips that really help my kids stay on track.

1. Color Code for multiple subject students. My oldest is in Middle School, and when we are purchasing supplies, we set up a color for each subject, and purchase binders, folders and composition books in the appropriate colors (Blue for Math, Red for Social Studies, etc.) This cuts down on the "grabbing the wrong notebook" issue.

2. Student Planners. We are very fortunate in our district, and the school provides each student with a planner. I take time each Sunday to sit down with them for 5 minutes and help them note anything they may need to know: Gym? Bring shoes. Band? Bring Instrument. At the same time, I update my own calendar so I know what they need me to do, as far as pick ups and drop offs.

3. Lunch Menus. My kids do a combination of buying school lunch and bringing lunch from home. I print the monthly lunch menus and post on our refrigerator. On the weekend, we scan ahead to see what days they are bringing lunch. This helps with our grocery shopping as well.

Teaching my kids to be responsible and accountable for their school work, sets a good example and practice field for when they go off to college and the work world.

How do you help your kids stay organized?

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What To Do With School Papers

If your kids have already started school, then you probably have a stack of papers cluttering up your desk or counter already. If they haven't started yet, be prepared. It never ceases to amaze me, even after all this time, just how much paper comes home from school, especially in those first few days.

What's a parent to DO with all that paper? Some of it you KNOW you'll need again, and some of it you MAY need to look at again. How do you organize it all?

I face all that paper with a 2-prong attack:

1. Individual Kid School Binders
2. School of Memories File System

I've been using these two systems since Ryan was in kindergarten, and they are still working wonderfully. Check out this video to see how to set up your own system, and what I include in mine.



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Don't Let Back to School Give You a Headache {Sponsored} {Giveaway}

Are your kids are already back to school? Mine don't start school until after Labor Day, so we have a little summer left.

But if you have any type-A tendencies as I do, you are starting to stress over all the things that have to "get done" before the first day: (or if you've had your first day - what you are already "behind" on)

• School Supplies
• New Clothes
• New Shoes
• Lunchbags and Backpacks
• Bedtime Routines
• Summer Packets

I take all that to a whole new level and add my own school year binders, calendars, homework cart and more that I want to get organized before we start.

All of that is enough to give anyone a headache! In fact, according to a recent survey by the makers of Excedrin®, more than one-third of parents * cite getting themselves (41%) and their children (43%) back on schedule at the top of the list of things that might cause their headaches during the back to school season.

And while we are all preparing ourselves and our kids on the home-front, schools and teachers around the country are preparing too. With extensive school supply lists coming home each summer, it's no wonder that according to a recent survey by the makers of Excedrin®, a large majority of parents (85%) think their schools are in need of new or upgraded supplies, such as pencils and paper and computers or software and even gym/sporting equipment.  In response, the makers of Excedrin launched the "Help Your School Excel with Excedrin" sweepsteaks, which is a fun and headache-free way for 5 individuals to win $10,000 for their child's school. How awesome would that be?

To enter the "Help Your School Excel with Excedrin" sweepsteaks and have the chance to be one of 5 lucky winners, simply visit Facebook.com/Excedrin

Back-to-School Giveaway for Readers of my scraps

Here is a special giveaway just for my scraps readers! The makers of Excedrin® are offering one lucky reader the chance to win a back-to-school pack that will help you stay organized, hydrated and headache-free. Just leave a comment, telling me one thing that might cause a headache during the back-to-school season.

fine print -Giveaway open to Continental US Residents only. Be sure to include a valid email address so I can contact you. Comments close on September 10th at midnight Eastern Daylight Time. Winner will be selected using random.org from all valid entries. Winner must reply within 48 hours of notification or another winner will be selected using the same methods.

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*Parents that can name at least one thing that might cause a headache during the back to school season.

Disclosure - I am an Excedrin® Extra Strength Ambassador, and I was compensated for my time in preparing this post. I truly do suffer from headaches and Excedrin is my "go-to" remedy. All opinions are, as always, my very own.

7 Tips for Back-to-School Shopping

Yes, I realize that it's still summer, however if you have been in a store recently, you have seen that it is also time to get ready for Back-to-School. Yes. . .they are going back. I must confess, that I LOVE Back-to-School shopping. . .clothes, supplies, shoes. . .love it.

Today, to help you get prepared and hopefully save a little money, I am sharing my Top 7 Tips to get you ready for Back-to-School shopping for your kids.

#vlogmom | New Routines

It's the start of a new school year around here, and this week's #vlogmom prompt comes from Jessica at A Parent In America.  Jessica asks, "What are you doing differently this school year to improve your family's quality of life?"

Here's what I'm doing:



What ar eyou doing differently this year?

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Going Back to School - School Supplies and Mabel's Labels

Around here, Back to School is in full force.  School starts for both boys on Tuesday.  Ryan will be heading off to Middle School and Owen will be heading off to Kindergarten.

Armed with two long lists of school supplies, I started shopping for the best deals right after Independence Day.

This is what school supplies look like for my two kids.

Thank heavens for Mabel's Labels to make my job easier.  Imagine writing your child's name on ALL those supplies!

I am an organized person.  My kids are not so organized.  But we dumped out the Mabel's Labels, and I had them stick labels on all their stuff.  Ryan loved the new Tween Pack of labels, and had a great time choosing which "cool" sticker to put on which thing.  This was a great assortment for him, as many of his supplies are binders, folders and notebooks. 

For Owen, we used a combo pack and some skinny minis . . . because we had lots of colored pencils, scissors, and markers to label.

Mabel's Labels were started in 2003 by four moms tired of having supplies leave their homes, never to return. (we can relate right?!)  I really like how easy to use they are.  They come off the backing with no trouble. Not to mention how bright and pretty they are - even for boys.

You can purchase Mabel's Label's online and they also have a wonderful fundraising program.  Have you tried Mabel's Labels? Which are your favorite?

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note - I received a pack of Mable's Labels in order to facilitate this review.  I was not compensated, and as always, all opinions are my very own.

#vlogmom | They're Going Back to School

This week's #vlogmom prompt is from Jo-Lynne at Musings of a Housewife.  Jo-Lynne asked, "Are your kids about ready to head back to school?  What does your Back to School routine look like?  What is the biggest challenge? What are you most looking forward to?"




Are you ready for back to school?

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Back to School - Let's Do Lunch and a Review of Rubbermaid's LunchBlox

When I was in school, I brought my lunch every day from kindergarten to high school.  Peanut butter and jelly on white bread. . .everyday.  There were lunchboxes. . .a yellow snoopy one, I recall. . .eventually I just brought my lunch in a brown bag.

These days, there are so many great choices for lunch - for kids AND grown-ups.

At the Lands End Back to School event, Chef Sam Talbot spoke to us about making healthy lunches our kids will eat.  Chef Sam is a professional chef, restauranteur, author and Type 1 Diabetic.   Some of the recipes he showed us, included Almond Butter and Blueberry Sandwiches, Fruit Salad, and Grilled Apples with Mint and Honeycomb. 

He made it look so easy and fun. . .not at all the way making lunches goes in our house.  Although I am very luck in that John usually makes lunches for the kids.

I tend to fall in a lunch "funk" - buying and sending the same old stuff all the time.  Maybe this year will be the year we get more adventurous.  Once you have the lunch planned and figured out, you can move on to how best to get it to school without getting warm or crushed.

Lands End has a great selection of lunch bags for boys, girls and grown-ups too.  Lands End lunchboxes are tested to keep food refrigerator-cold for 5 hours with an ice pack.  They are easy to clean, reusable AND PVC-free too!

In addition, Rubbermaid, has recently launched their LunchBlox Sandwich Kit.

This kit, is a organization addict's (like myself) dream.  It saves space and stays organized in a lunch bag or box.  Plus, it's handy sized containers, open a wide range of possibilities of things you can pack.

It includes a specially designed Blue Ice™ pack that keeps lunches chilled.  The containers are proportioned for commonly carried lunch foods - like sandwiches, salads and dressing, veggies and dip, etc.  This kit is perfect for anyone in your family, and great to take along on picnics and anytime you take meals to go.

 Best part? The containers not only look great - but they are microwave, dishwasher AND freezer safe - as well as BPA-free!

So once you figure out what to put in your kids lunches this year, there are lot of great choices for what to put that lunch in, so it gets to school safely.

What will your kids be bringing for lunch this school year?

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note - I received a Lunchblox Kit from Rubbermaid in order to facilitate this review, however, as always all opinions are my very own.

Fashion Friday | Going Back to School in Style with Lands End

Let's set 2 important things up front:

1.  I LOVE shopping

2.  I LOVE Back to School

Having said this, there are certain brands I associate with certain "looks".  When I think about Back to School, for kids AND their parents. . .the first brand that comes to mind is Lands End.

Imagine my delight when the ladies at MomTrends and the folks at LandsEnd, invited me to their Night School event during BlogHer.  Despite the extreme heat, I could barely contain my excitement (just ask Sherry) as I climbed onto the very first school bus that loaded up to take the group of savvy bloggers over.

Lands End hit it out of the park with their creativity. I grabbed my report card and took off to check out all the stations they had set up.

First up - backpacks. We still have the Lands End backpack Ryan picked out when he started kindergarten in 2006. . .it looks brand new, and he used it all 180 days of kindergarten (AND rode the bus).  But because I love Back to School, we indulge every year and let Ryan pick a new backpack every year.  This year, Owen is thrilled that he gets to pick one out too.

So, Lands End is my go-to brand for all things backpack and lunch bag - and they have been for seven years.

Next stop,  clothes.  Can you remember the thrill of picking out your first day of school outfit? I recall CLEARLY having a pile of new fall clothes, and it being too warm out to wear any of them.

My boys grow like weeds.  The beautiful part of having two boys, born six years apart but in the same season, is hand-me-downs.  And the Lands End clothes I bought for Ryan have weathered the years so well and now look new on Owen.

Do your kids (ok - boys) wear out the knees in their pants? This was a terrible problem for us when Ryan in kindergarten - so sadly, no pants to hand down to Owen for this year.  At the event, Lands End introduced us to their Iron Knee Pants (not actually made of iron) .  They even abrasion test them for quality.

Besides getting taller everyday, my oldest is skinny. . .my youngest is regular (at this point). Lands End has adjustable waist jeans up to a boys size 14, that have been a GODSEND.  They also make slim, husky and regular fit so that your child can get just the right fit.

Let's not forget mom. . .(maybe dad too).  I'll need something to wear to the PTO meeting, Back to School Night, the Goblin Gala and more.  I find I can rely on Lands End for reasonably priced, top quality pieces that I can mix and match into my own wardrobe to create looks for just about any occasion.

What are some styles you and your kids are hoping to rock for Back to School?

catch you soon -

note - by writing this post, I am entitled to receive a gift from Lands End.  I would have gladly written this post regardless, and as always all opinions are my very own.

Wordless Wednesday

Getting ready for back to school around here. . .

For more info on my school binder and homework station systems, check out this post.  And link up your own wordless Wednesday post below!

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Menu Plan Monday and Looking Ahead for Back to School

This week's meal planning has me thinking ahead four weeks to when school starts.  I know our schedules will be changing a lot, and I am much more regimented during the school year.  There's after school snacks, homework and an earlier bedtime to contend with.

This year's back to school brings us a Middle Schooler and a Kindergartner, the first time both boys will be in full time school.  It's a new experience for all of us, so I am anticipating some growing pains, and changes to the best-laid plans.

With that in mind, I'm drafting a monthly meal plan for September. . .right now it consists of 2 nights of crockpot chicken, 2 nights of tacos, and pasta once a week.  It's a ROUGH draft. . .but I'm hoping it will come together before September 1st.

For this week, I am freshly back from BlogHer and home with O today, and I'm not planning a grocery trip until tomorrow.  So here's what we are looking at for this week:

Monday - Pasta Carbonara with salad
Tuesday - Easy Nacho Bake
Wednesday - Chicken Bow Tie Pasta Salad (we have a Kindergarten Picnic tonight)
Thursday -Fish I think with Baked Potatoes
Friday - Homemade Stromboli
Saturday & Sunday - TBD

Stay tuned for the School Year Meal Plan in the next few weeks.

For inspiration or to link up your own weekly meal plan, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

catch you soon -

How-to: #BagItForward with Elmer's Back to School Kit Donation Campaign

I have to admit, Back to School shopping is one of my most favorite things.  I can't wait until my kids' lists are ready to print.  I know that stores start to display their Back to School wares right after the 4th of July, and I start stalking.

I've hit all the spots, including Walmart.  My Walmart has a great Back to School section with an amazing selection of quality school supplies at a great price.  Walmart carries all my favorite brands, including my all time favorite glue from Elmer's.

Glitter Glue from Elmer's

Both our School Supply lists call for Glue Sticks.

Walmart also has this wonderful program called #BagItForward.  BagItForward is a Back to School Kit Donation program.  The program encourages consumers to buy a pre-packaged kit from the Back to School display at their local Walmart, and then donate the kit to a student, educator or organization that supports children in need.

Walmart's  display of their pre-packaged Back to School Kit

Since I'm such a fan of Back to School, I was thrilled to learn that Elmer's has a 1st Day App you can download.  And best of all, the App is FREE.  There's a display at Walmart, with a QR code - you can scan it with your smartphone for more information or to download the App right in the store.  By using the App, you will be helping to drive donations to the Kids in Need Foundation.

What a fun and easy to use App!

It was truly easy and inexpensive to pick up a kit, and make a donation to the UCP/Best Friends pre-k classroom teacher, Miss Ginger.  UCP/Best Friends is an inclusion program and works hard to support children in need.

Owen loved giving the kit to Miss Ginger.

Owen and Miss Ginger

For more pictures from my #BagItForward experience, you can check out my #BagItForward Album on Google+.

I also made a list of my top 10 items for Back to School. . .what would be on your list?

I hope you will consider doing your Back to School shopping at Walmart, and pick up a Back to School kit to donate while you're there and BagItForward!

catch you soon -

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric© Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Elmer's.  #BagItForward #CBias #SocialFabric.  As always, all opinions are my very own.

changes are hard. . .

my little guy has been going to his childcare/preschool center since he was 3 months old. . .today when i dropped him off. . .he cried. . .for the first time. . .

he is in the process of transitioning to the pre-k classroom, and today was the first drop-off there

i felt so badly for him and i knelt down and gave him a giant mommy hug. . .we walked hand-in-hand to his old classroom (which is mess because they are cleaning the floors) to peek in then agreed we'd walk back to his new room for drop-off.  i remained upbeat but was sympathetic to his sadness.

the teacher, Miss Ginger is wonderful, sweet and kind - with a little boy of her own at the same school.  she offered Owen a computer game to play - something he enjoyed when he visited the room yesterday.

he agreed. . .but was still sad and clingy. . .i could feel my own tears. . .even though I have been dropping him off at this school for 4 years. . .he went over to the computer. . .a little frown where his bright sunny smile usually is. . .and my heart broke just a tiny bit. . .

change is hard. . .for adults and for kids. . .how do you help your kids cope with change?

catch you soon -

OfficeMax Backpack of Goodies. . .

. . .i thought it would be fun to show the boys' reactions to the AWESOME backpack filled with Back to School goodies we won from OfficeMax's re-tweet contest. . .




i do think the rubber band ball is a fave. . .thanks OfficeMax!

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